Continued: CAN

“What we want them (legislators) to pledge to us is that, when the economic tide of this distressed economy begins to recede, we will have a conversation about adequate funding for the university that was chartered in 1801 as South Carolina College, then became the University of South Carolina for all the people, and today is the University for South Carolina. And our message is being heard.”

Amy Stone, president of the Carolina Alumni Association, said the message “is that we’re doing the very best we can to provide the quality programs that the university needs to provide even in tough economic times. We’ll continue to do that with the hopes that the legislators will remember us when the times get a little better economically."

First-time advocate and undergraduate Joe Wright said rising tuition was his motivation to participate.

“Our message today is that we have needs as students, and we need resources because if the legislators cut the university budget any more, that could mean a spike in tuition we have to pay, and some people may not be able to afford that,” said Wright, a sophomore from Clover. “We are the future of South Carolina, so they need to support us by putting their time and money into us.”